Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1887-09-08
MISS PERSIS.
Tho Pathetic Story Of Herself and
Her Doll

The Pathetic Story OF Herself and
Her Doll
think she always must have been
called miss" Persis, even when she
was q chi.d-that is, if she ever was q
child. Perhaps she had not always
worn her hair smoothly combed down
behind her ears and fastened in tight
knot behind with horn comb; per-
haps she had not always dressed in a
black gown, with stiff, sharp folds. or
had needless CATERS on her large, bony
feet; but l don't think Miss Persls
could have ever been a real child.
The house she lived in was good
deal like Miss Persis, only it was very
small. Still, it seemed to be trying to
live up to her pattern as well as it
could. 1t stood lengthwise with the
road. 1t had door in the middle that
led into tiny square hall from which
opened on one side the darkened and
unused country parlor, and on the
other the living-room, only in Miss
Persis' house this room did not take
the comfortable, home-like air of the
usual family living-room. but kept
general likeness to the parlor. The
Kitchen was in an L at the back of the
house. and upstairs there were proba-
bly, two bedrooms. but doubt If any
one ever went upstairs at Miss Persis'.
Miss Persis had not always been
alone; her mother had lived with her
but Mrs. Hotblack had been merely
an elder Miss Persis suppose once
there had been Mr.. Hotblack; but l
never heard of him. and it was quite
impossible to imagine him. Mrs. Hot
black and her daughter were both
members of the church," and of
course the minister's wife and the
wives of the deacons went to call on
them at regular intervals. l think,
however. it was always regarded by
ahe church members as sort of re-
aigious duty. no one ever thought of
dropping in to see them. or of ''be-
ing neighborly." After Mrs. Hot
black died all the neighbors called, as
neighbors ought to. And Mrs. Deacon
Asher said she had never felt SO awk-
ward in her life. She couldn't think
of thing to say, ard she felt all the
while as if Miss Persis was wondering
what she'd come for. They all said
Miss Persis bore her affection wonder
fully. 1t was only in a sterner and
more forbidding aspect that she
showed her increased loneliness.
remember as a child being sent to
Miss Persis' sometimes to say that the
missionary meeting would be put off
until next week, or that sewing So
eiety'' would meet at Mrs. Potter's in
stead of Mrs Hewitt's. used to hate
to 60. was always afraid that, as
the children put it. Miss Persis would
''say something" l always latched
the gate of the white picket fence be-
hind me. l forgot to latch the gate
anywhere elsa; but should have been
afraid to leave her gate swinging. The
path chat led up to the front door was
oordered by low. stumpy growth of
box. 1t never seemed to grow
used to think it was because Miss
Persis walked mp the path SO often.
Close to the door was a large bush of
prina. and the flowers on either side of
the walk were mostly of stiff and
angular kind. such rs hollyhocks, lark
spar and cock s-comh There were
never any pert johnKy-jump-ups in
her garden. nor climbing roses. nor
the long branches of sweetbrier. Moth
ing ever wandered or climbed there;
every thing grew in rows or bushes,
and kept to Its proper place.
When 1 had rung the door-bell Miss
Persis would open the door just wide
enough to let me in; and / syould tell
my errand standing on the mat just iu-
side the entry-such spotkss little
entry. with its square of rag carpet and
the mat that always had to stand on!
There was a little broom and 4 dust
pan hanging on nail near the door.
and l always imagined. as l walked
back down the front path. that Miss
Persis had taken them down and was
brushing off the mat-the mat that /
had stood on.
Poor Miss Persist it wasn't her fault
that she looked SO grim and austere: |
anu no one ever suspected how the |
lonely woman longed for sympathy |
and the power to express her own in
tarest in others. She could drop her
dollar into the plate every missionary
Suaday-a dollar saved by much econ
omy from her scanty income-but as to